Way of the Ninja
by Cheza-chan
Summary: One-Shot, Character Death You eventually tend to run out of space… so it's inevitable; when everything seems to be going just right, you find out nothing was ever right at all.


**Author:** Cheza-chan

**Rating:** PG-13/R (for death and one swear word)

**Summary:** You eventually tend to run out of space… It's inevitable; when everything seems to be going just right, you find out nothing was ever right at all.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto—sadly. I'm just using the characters to express my mounting love for the show.

**Author Note:** Ah sou! This was done for LiveJournal's **naruto100**'s "My Not So Happy Ending" challenge. I like… (snaps a whip) So you better like it also!

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_**Way of the Ninja**_

The pink-haired Jounin stumbled a bit but kept running. She had to get to Sasuke and warn him about the trap before it was too late. Her steps faltered once again and this time, she fell to her knees with a sharp gasp. A blonde blur swooped down and lifted the young woman; several weapons were embedded in the soft ground where she had been a mere second later. Glancing at the decorated fox mask above her, she smiled weakly; Sakura had lost her mask hours ago, but she didn't care. "Naruto…"

"I'm taking you back to the Village and to Tsunade. I'll go to Sasuke and the others after."

"Promise?" she whispered.

"Sakura-chan."

There was a smile in the soft voice and Sakura felt herself able to relax. She wasn't in pain, just tired, and wanted to sleep. The wars between the Countries had escalated out of hand several years ago and every Jounin, Special Jounin, even Hunter-nins had been fighting endlessly to keep their respective villages safe.

Naruto sighed as the roofs of Konoha came into view and increased his speed as he dashed across the treetops. He landed gently, mindful of the resting girl he held, then disappeared. A blood-covered Tsunade looked up as did several other figures, all glancing at the new addition to the room. After handing Sakura off, the blonde Jounin ripped his mask from his face. "Sasuke, you're…"

"I apologize," the Uchiha said. "Ino got to me first with the information, but I'm glad you made it back."

"_You're_ glad…?" Naruto began laughing, relief flooding through him. He searched the masks and faces and his broad grin slowly deteriorated. "Wait. Where…?"

Shikamaru stepped forward and glanced at the figures lining the walls; the room emptied save for himself, Sasuke, and Ino, who was helping the nurses tend to Sakura. Tsunade stood, blocking the Kyuubi's line of vision.

Naruto growled deep in his throat and ran to the beds behind the woman, pushing her out of the way. He froze and felt his heart shatter. A fox mask identical to his own stared up at him, the body beneath it lifeless. He was unable to take his eyes from the blood-encrusted gold band on the left ring finger. "Tsunade-no-baachan," he whimpered.

"I already tried, Naruto. By the gods, I tried so hard…!" the Godaime said, her voice breaking.

"Naruto," Shikamaru sighed. The deceased had been in his own squad yet he had no words to comfort the other man and felt as though he should be lying on the bed in his subordinate's place. "Naruto…" He clenched a fist at his side and lowered his head, forcing back his tears. "I'm sorry!"

'_Sorry…_' There was another bed against the wall, a sheet covering that body. Naruto slowly made his way around the first one so he was standing between them both. With trembling fingers, he reached for both the sheet and the ANBU mask and pulled them both away. The man felt his throat slowly close and he sank to his knees, sheet and mask in his lap. His normally bright eyes were dull and lifeless.

Gaara's pale face was revealed, his "love" tattoo unrecognizable under all the blood; another Kazekage gone. Under the ANBU mask was an even paler Hinata. Gaara had perished on Konoha soil after a determined fight to bring his friend's wife back so Naruto could see her one last time. In doing so, he had left the world without seeing his own wife.

"No…" Ino had now begun to cry.

Apparently Gaara wouldn't be separated from his love for long.

"No…" the girl sobbed in a high-pitch voice. "Sakura… Sakura, you bitch! You can't die!" She pounded on the bed her deceased friend/rival lay on over and over, her loosed blonde hair flying into her mouth and eyes. "Hokage-sama! Hokage-sama!"

Neji, Hanabi, Kiba, Shino—too many! It was growing to be unbearable. Sasuke wanted to turn his back to it all—all the death and darkness—as did Shikamaru, but they couldn't; it wasn't their way of the ninja and they intended to take full responsibility as they had so many times before.

So many had already been lost to the meaningless war and now three more names would be added to the second memorial tablet tomorrow after the bodies were destroyed tonight. Uzumaki Hinata—she begged and pleaded with her father so she could take her husband's name; Gaara—he wanted no other name than his own; and Haruno Sakura—she remained a most loyal wife and friend up until her dying breath.


End file.
